Representative Selections on the subject of King and KingshipNew York: Hafner Press, 1953

The political ideas of St. Thomas Aquinas

CHRISTINA WIBISONOCHRISTINA WIBISONOpresents

St. Thomas Aquinas.

Born in Roccasecca, Italy (1225-1274)

He is honored in Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Communion, and Lutheranism as a Doctor of the Church, and is considered the Church’s greatest theologian and phi-losopher.

Directive principle.

man a social and political animal (p175)man seeks by their reason, using speech to express his conceptions to others (p176)men are united by what they have in common (p177)

The right and the wrong way.

Now it happens in certain things which are ordained toward an end that one may proceed in a right way and also in a wrong way. So, too in the government of multitude there is a distinction between right and wrong.

A thing is rightly directed when it is led toward a befit-ting end, wrongly when it is led toward an unbefitting end (p177).

THE UNJUSTGOVERNMENT

TYRANNY

OLIGARCHY

DEMOCRACYIf an unjust government is carried on by the multitude, which comes about when the plebeian people by force of numbers oppress the rich.

If an unjust government is carried on, not by one but by several, and if they be few . . . they oppress the people by means of their wealth.

If an unjust government is carried by one man alone . . . because he oppresses by might instead of ruling by justice.

THE JUSTGOVERNMENT

KINGSHIP

ARISTOCRACY

POLITY If the government is administered by many.

If the government is administered by a few men of virtue.

If the government is in the hands of one man alone.

TYRANNY

OLIGARCHY

DEMOCRACY

KINGSHIP

ARISTOCRACY

POLITY

TYRANNY

OLIGARCHY

DEMOCRACY

KINGSHIP

ARISTOCRACY

POLITY

TYRANNY

OLIGARCHY

DEMOCRACY

KINGSHIP

ARISTOCRACY

POLITY

Which government is better?

Monaco royal wedding on July 2, 2011

Monaco royal wedding on July 2, 2011

Which government is better?Or less evil?

Monaco royal wedding on July 2, 2011

Which government is better?

A united force is more efficacious in producing its effect than a force which is scattered or divided . . . Therefore, just as it is more useful for a force operating for a good to be more

united, in order that it may work good more effectively, so a force operating for evil is more harmful when it is one than when it is divided (p181).

Or less evil?

monarchy > aristocracy > polity

tyranny > oligarchy > democracy

monarchy > aristocracy > polity

tyranny > oligarchy > democracy

Because both the best and the worst government are latent in monarchy, i.e. in the rule of one man.

Why the royal dignity is rendered hateful to the subjects?

Why the rule of one is the best?

the rule of the King is ordained by God “one Prince will be in the midst of them (p181)”

Why the rule of one is the best?

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2

3

the rule of the King is ordained by God “one Prince will be in the midst of them (p181)” in all things, good ensues from one perfect cause, while evil results from one partial defect (p182)

Why the rule of one is the best?

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2

3

the rule of the King is ordained by God “one Prince will be in the midst of them (p181)” in all things, good ensues from one perfect cause, while evil results from one partial defect (p182)a group government (polyarchy) deviates into tyranny not less but perhaps more frequently than monarchy (p187)

Why the rule of one is the best?

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3

a certain old woman kept constantly praying that he might be unharmed and that he might survive her.

Syracuse, at a time when everyone desired the death of Dionysius

Why?

When I was a girl we had a harsh tyrant and I wished for his death; when he was killed, there succeeded him one who was a little harsher. I was very eager to see the end of his dominion also, and we began to have a third ruler still more harsh – that was you.

When I was a girl we had a harsh tyrant and I wished for his death; when he was killed, there succeeded him one who was a little harsher. I was very eager to see the end of his dominion also, and we began to have a third ruler still more harsh – that was you. So if you should be taken away, a worse would succeed in your place.

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